Round And Round

Jesus and the religious leaders seem to be going round and round these days about the same topic and it invites me to reflect on my own stubbornness, shallowness, or inability to accept the truth. Have I also gone round and round with Jesus, not wanting to believe or trust in what he very clearly says is the main thing just because it is difficult to understand and/or mysterious? The good news is that Jesus is so super patient and simply says it another way hoping that perhaps a slight word change will be the breakthrough that we need. He is persistent and faithful even when we are a bit clueless and when we seem to love beating a dead horse. Today, he tells the religious leaders and us, “Whoever keeps my word will never see death.” Yesterday it was, “Remain in my word…” Seems like we should pay attention to his word, don’t you think? Today he uses the word “keep”, so I consulted my thesaurus and here are some other words for “keep”: save, retain, have, preserve, possess, cling to, maintain, store, own, and honor. I’d say any of those words would be a great way for us to approach his Word. We have all that we need in the life of Christ, in his teachings, in his testimony, in his workings, in his words, in his prayers, in his example of love and mercy, and in the witness of his closest friends.

In a culture where words are so often used to destroy, it is vital that we become words of life for one another. Keeping his Word means proclaiming peace, dispelling fear, breathing mercy, declaring healing, singing praise, offering thanksgiving, speaking truth in love, forgiving our enemies, expecting miracles, enjoying our belovedness, and being the face of Christ to everyone we meet. When we keep or honor or own these things as our way of living, then we will re-present Jesus in such a way that allows others to receive the Word and carry it to the next and to the next and to the next. Our “keeping” brings others in so they can “keep” and pretty soon we are all “keeping” and loving and forgiving and healing and honoring and praising and expecting and enjoying and being and giving thanks. Now that is the kind of round and round I can get behind. Let’s go round and round loving his Word today so that we can go round and round loving. It is well with my soul.

Reading 1GN 17:3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
"My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God."

God also said to Abraham:
"On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages."

Responsorial Psalm PS 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8a)  The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Verse Before The Gospel PS 95:8

If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

GospelJN 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death." 
So the Jews said to him,
"Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? 
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?" 
Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word. 
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad." 
So the Jews said to him,
"You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM."
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.